Gaming Machine Light Emission Power Control Unit Reset

Solution Overview

Problem

Gaming machines face issues with maintaining entertainment characteristics due to errors in light emitting devices, which require rebooting, leading to halted games and loss of player credibility, as existing systems cannot reset the light emission control unit without halting the game and retain data.

Innovation Solution

A gaming machine design with a light emission power control unit that allows for resettable power supply to the light emission control unit during gameplay, enabling the light emission control unit to be reset without halting the game, and includes a detection unit to automatically rectify errors by comparing actual lighting modes with game state modes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the gaming machine reboots to reset the light emission control unit, then the light emitting device can be reset to normal operation, but the game must be halted and player credibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight emission control reliabilityVSAvoidgame continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The power supply system is segmented into multiple independent power supply units, each dedicated to specific components. The light emission control unit has its own separate power supply that can be independently reset without affecting the game controller's power supply, enabling selective resetting during game operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by retaining game data and parameters in memory before resetting the light emission control unit. This allows the game state to be preserved and restored after the reset, enabling the light emission control to be corrected without halting the game.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the gaming machine reboots to correct program errors, then normal lighting operation is restored, but game parameters are lost and entertainment characteristic deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight emission control reliabilityVSAvoidgame parameter retention

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by retaining game data and parameters in memory before resetting the light emission control unit. This allows the game state to be preserved and restored after the reset, enabling the light emission control to be corrected without halting the game.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system temporarily discards the faulty light emission control state by resetting its power supply, while recovering and preserving the game data and parameters in memory. After reset, the light emission control is restored to normal operation while the game continues with its parameters intact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Reliability

If the gaming machine halts the game to reset the light emission control unit, then the error is corrected, but player credibility and entertainment characteristic decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight emission control reliabilityVSAvoidplayer experience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The power supply system is segmented into multiple independent power supply units, each dedicated to specific components. The light emission control unit has its own separate power supply that can be independently reset without affecting the game controller's power supply, enabling selective resetting during game operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The game operation continues uninterrupted while the light emission control unit is reset. The separate power supply design allows the reset operation to occur in parallel with ongoing game play, maintaining continuity of the useful gaming action without interruption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS8382580B2Gaming machine with separately settable auxiliary display

Publication Date: 2013.02.26 INTERBLOCK DOO

AI summary

A gaming machine includes a light emitting portion, a terminal controller, a light emission control unit, a power supply unit, an input device through which a predetermined input is externally input, and a light emission power control unit. The light emitting portion emits light. The terminal controller runs a game. The light emission control unit causes: with power supplied thereto, the light emitting portion to emit light; and controls the light emitting portion so that the light emitting portion emits light in a lighting mode associated with a game state. The power supply unit supplies power to the light emission control unit and the terminal controller, separately. The light emission power control unit controls, in response to the predetermined input, the power supply from the power supply unit to the light emission control unit in a resettable manner, while terminal controller is running the game.